Are you sending your child off this summer, on his/her own? (Or, maybe you already have?).

Perhaps your child is going away for summer camp? Or, to the “other parent’s” home? Or, maybe to visit relatives in another state?

So, how can you help your kids be prepared? (As some of you might know, Rachel at Single Mom Seeking might need some advice on this one!)

Here’s what Dr. Leah, aka The Sanity Fairy, suggests:

Every day, in little ways, you’re preparing your children to separate from you. After all, this is part of growing up into independent human beings. This is why you tell your children what their responsibilities are at home. Learning how to do every day chores is part of life. Manners and behavior are taught, not assimilated.

For many kids, spending time with the “other parent” — or relatives — in the summer is the norm. Many kids go to sleep away camp for one week, or longer.

So, how do you prepare your child to anticipate the demands of a new social situation — and to manage his/her own needs in this new situation?

• Talk with your child about what it means to be a welcome house guest. This means: Picking up your clothes from the floor, making your bed, and clearing dishes after eating a meal. Keep your room pristine. Ditto with the bathroom. (Well, unless ‘Grandma’ tells you otherwise.)
• Remind your child to be polite. Plan to eat what’s served. This is a private home not a restaurant. When asked a question, do best to carry on a conversation. (No one-word answers.)
• Go over basic hygiene: This means taking regular showers, washing hair — and brushing it.
• Review “special” rules: Say, the front door might need to stay shut so the dog doesn’t run away.
• Remind your child to have fun. This might often mean playing alone. Go over what you’ve packed: books, games, cards… and how about those zip-lock bags you packed so that your child can transport his/her “treasures” home?

Lastly, remember this: if we convey anxiety, we create anxiety which inhibits kids from reaching developmental milestones. Taking a trip alone — without mom or dad — is a developmental milestone, like learning to walk!

We’d love to know how you prepare your kids for a trip away. What have you done before a trip? Or, talked about with your children?

Do you have some advice to add? We’re all ears!

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